Danish municipalities have reported record-high revenues from parking in the past year, totaling nearly 1.2 billion kroner. This figure includes income from paid parking, resident parking permits, and fines issued for illegal parking.

After deducting expenses related to parking attendants and administration, the total profit from parking reached 1.06 billion kroner.

The surge in revenue is attributed, in part, to a growing number of municipalities implementing paid parking systems. This measure is designed to manage increasing pressure on available parking spaces. The pressure is largely due to an increase in car ownership. Since 2010, the number of car-owning families has risen by almost 300,000.

Regulations dictate that revenues generated from parking must be allocated to traffic-related purposes. Municipal researcher Roger Buch explains that parking revenue is not intended as a general source of income for municipalities.

Buch notes that while parking once served as a significant revenue source for some municipalities, government intervention has imposed restrictions. Municipalities exceeding a certain revenue threshold from parking face deductions from their block grants. Copenhagen and Frederiksberg municipalities are examples of this.

Viborg Municipality is among those introducing paid parking. A political majority has decided that parking in the city center will no longer be free of charge starting in July.